Fontana, CA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

California state law prohibits cities and counties from designating a specific breed as inherently dangerous or from adopting breed-specific bans. Food and Agricultural Code Section 31683 allows only narrow non-lethal, breed-neutral tools (such as mandatory spay and neuter for dogs declared dangerous based on behavior) and otherwise preempts breed-specific legislation. Fontana therefore regulates by behavior, not breed: Municipal Code Chapter 4 and companion San Bernardino County animal rules allow a hearing officer to declare a specific dog dangerous or vicious after an incident involving bites, attacks, or repeated unprovoked aggression. Consequences can include mandatory confinement behind a six-foot fence, muzzling in public, liability insurance, microchipping, spay or neuter, and in severe cases euthanasia. Homeowner and renter insurance policies may still exclude certain breeds, and HOAs technically cannot enforce breed bans on their own members in California under recent case law, though some still try. Housing providers and rental listings are also constrained on breed discrimination.